Raccoons
by saraj8ne
Summary: MODERN AU/based off a dream/ Raccoons follows (adult) Hiccup, a functional mute in search of his lost dragon, Toothless, and Astrid, a young woman struggling to make ends meet while working at the town of Berk's dragon habitat. Excitement and intrigue ensue as the town of Berk is pushed into the dangerous underworld of dragon smuggling as Hiccup faces his greatest foes yet.
1. Chapter 1: Discovery

The sirens and shouts were nothing more than white noise to Astrid Hofferson that night so many weeks ago. But as she sat at her kitchen table, a single, dim ceiling light swaying just above her head inside her small trailer home, Astrid felt nothing more than anger and regret for not having payed closer attention to the tire screeches and shouting which had carried through the frosty February air that evening. A heavy huff of air blew from her nostrils. Her chin raised, her arms crossed, and she finished with a confident lean onto the back of her chair. Across her modest kitchen table, a young man sat nervously sipping from a mug of hot cocoa. His hair was red, and his eyes were scavenging the room for anything to look at instead of hazarding eye contact with Astrid's scornful glare.

"So let me get this straight," she leaned forward, placing an elbow on the table, tipping it slightly. "For the past three weeks, you've been living in my backyard?"

The young man recognized her pitch as _too_ calm and casually intrigued for her to actually be calm and casually intrigued, but there was something about her blue stare-something too demanding and bold to disregard-that convinced him of the idea that trying to con his way out of this situation was not a good notion to dwell on. Still, he stayed silent.

"Listen you," Her patience vanished into the thin, mountain air. "You're lucky I haven't called the cops on you yet. So answer me already." She demanded, leaning further across the table with her lips pursed tightly. The young man swallowed his hot cocoa hard, setting the mug nervously onto the table. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Astrid waited for him to continue, but to her surprise he didn't say anything at all. Instead he lifted a hand from the warm cup and pointed at his throat.

"What?" Astrid raised an eyebrow. The young man kept on motioning to his neck, then would shake his head, and point at his neck once again. With sudden realization, Astrid's mouth popped open, then shut immediately. "Oh, I see. So you can't talk..." To this, the silent man shrugged, tilting his head and making a face that read something along the lines of a very uncertain "eeehhhh,".

"So you _can_ talk?"

The red head flattened his hand in the air and tipped it from side to side, making a sort of "half-half" motion. But just as he finished doing that, he paused for a moment, looked up into the air to question himself, then nodded in affirmation. Astrid opened her mouth to speak when she saw the young man across from her shake his head, now seeming to doubt his answer. She stared at him angrily, her lips pressed firmly into a frown-but to be fair, if you could see the way his eyebrows were bunched up in thought... he really did appear to be a very perplexed individual. Astrid, however, wasn't buying it. She shoved her chair back as she stood, and, reaching into a drawer in her small kitchenette, she pulled from it a notepad and a pencil; slamming it down onto the table in front of the vagabond she'd discovered roasting a hot dog over the firepit in her backyard. Astrid felt like she was being played with, and she didn't like it one bit. (She had also, soon after finding him having supper in her backyard, discovered a sleeping-bag underneath her back porch-not to mention a few select items she had thrown out a few weeks ago, i.e. toaster oven, shower head, a cracked this and a busted that etc.) Astrid huffed in anger, pointed a long finger at the notepad and commanded bitterly, "Write."

Immediately, the red haired man discovered writing to me his new favorite hobby-not that he had the privilege of having many hobbies in the first place, that is.

As he scribbled down on the paper, Astrid watched him closely. He was left handed, she noticed. And when he moved-even just a little-his whole body seemed to take part in the motion, whatever it happened to be. A few minuted later, the man lifted his head and passed the note across the table, patiently waiting for it to be read. Astrid hesitated a moment, unsure whether she really wanted to know _why_ this man was chowing down and snuggling up in her backyard. With a second thought more, she hurried and picked it off the flat wooden surface, squinting at the words under the dim lighting.

The note read:

" _Hello there. Sorry about surprising you like I did earlier, it was a misunderstanding, I apologize. I would have cooked the hot-dog out in the forest, but I didn't want to take any risks by doing that. Fire hazards and all."_ -well... it was a humanitarian reason at the very least-" _I had, and still have no intentions of stealing your fire-pit or any of your belongings."_ -"Any of my belongings?" She huffed, throwing a hand into the air. "Than what do you call all of those things you took from my garbage-can?!" Her nostrils flared.-" _Also, it may look like I stole your stuff, but I swear I didn't. If you take a closer look at the appliances and re-install them, you'll see that I fixed them for you. I even added a little upgrade to the mini-oven."_ -She glanced at the young man, embarrassed at her outburst. He _could_ be lying, however. Glancing at him again, she watched him scratch the back of his head, awkwardly looking around the room. Oops.-" _I felt bad for sneaking around your place and sleeping underneath your porch, so I fixed them as a sort of payment. I was planning on leaving them in front of your front-doorstep, though you caught me before I could properly return them. Again, I'm really sorry. It was wrong of me to stay here and I'm sorry to cause you trouble like this, I really am; my only excuse is that I just would rather not die by being shredded by wild animals while I'm sleeping. If you find anything you believe I broke, I will repair it-pay you back even, too, if I can. Also, thank you for not sending me off to prison. If you give me a chance I can prove to you that I'm really not a bad guy."_

The young man sat back, taking a deep breath in and giving a nervous series of taps to his leg. The young women he had intruded on was reading what he had wrote, and he was hoping- _praying_ -that she believed him. He knew he could make things work out for himself if she sent him away as he was anticipating, but since his life seldom gifted him with second chances, if it even looked as though she would call the cops, he would bolt.

He watched her as she read, suddenly realizing that he didn't even know this woman's name. A wave of guilt struck the innards of his stomach. He didn't know anything about her life. Biting his lips, he looked down, eyes heavy with regret. He _really_ hoped this hadn't messed things up for her somehow. As she finished reading the letter, he stayed this way, mentally berating himself for not having searched the woods harder for some old abandoned shed or the like.

Astrid, however, had already finished reading it, unbeknownst to the strange man sitting at her kitchen table. Over the top of the paper, she observed him; his downcast eyes, sunken shoulders, rustled red hair, and half-hidden lower lip. She was furious with the young man, and moreover, he had intruded on her private property, used her belongings, and even stole some of them, too! Anger was bubbling up inside of her. There was, though, albeit small, a voice inside her, popping those bubbles one by one. This tiny voice was reminding her that she, too, knew what is was like to have to sleep out in the open, and that maybe, just _maybe_ , he hadn't lied about fixing her appliances, and that he _could_ possibly be genuinely sorry for intruding on her and causing her this problem. Her first instinct was to boot him-call the police, even. But then again, when she peeked over the top of the letter once more, she noticed his eyebrows pinched together and his green eyes mournfully swept downward; how he rubbed his thumb nervously on his hand and how when he exhaled, his chest looked as though it might cave in. She didn't know what to do. She didn't trust him, not really, but she pitied him. She understood-at least a little-the need for a kind stranger.

Decidedly, Astrid lowered the note, laying the lined paper on the table to gain the stranger's attention. It was then, as they watched each other that Astrid remembered that the young man hadn't written his name on the letter.

"What's your name?" Sitting down, she pulled her chair closer to the table. The young man across from her reached for the pencil and notepad, but just before he took hold of them, she held up her hand to stop him. "No, I want you to say it." She crossed her arms.

The red head slumped his shoulders. Really? Hadn't he just gotten across to her that talking just wasn't his thing? He knew, however, that he was in absolutely no position to deny her command. He was, quite literally, at her mercy.

Uncomfortably, he shifted his weight in the chair. This was one of those things that you had to give the car a little gas before it began to roll down the hill. She continued watching him as he awkwardly remembered how talking worked. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sighed. What a weirdo.

"Hiccup."

Her head shot up, utterly surprised. Looking at him, she discovered she wasn't the only one who wasn't expecting _that_. Clearing his throat, eyes wide, the stranger continued. "My name is Hiccup." And then, in a much softer voice, "Woah…"

Astrid sat their in silence, surprised by his voice, let alone his name and accent. "Hiccup?" She asked doubtfully. He nodded, his cheeks blushing red in embarrassment.

"Well, I can't imagine someone using that as a pseudonym on _purpose_." Astrid covered her mouth, stifling a small laugh. At this, Hiccup's cheeks colored themselves a shade brighter. Grabbing the pencil and paper, he wrote quickly, laying the pencil down firmly once he finished. Hiccup stretched his arm, pushing the paper across the table.

The note read: " _What about yours?"_

Smiling gently, Astrid crossed her arms. "Nope. That's private information."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow, a puff of air escaping his lips.

"So why, Hiccup, were you in _my_ backyard? And why even come to this town in the first place?" Astrid, though cautious, was growing curious of the young man with the strange name. He was a lanky sort of character, but he carried himself in a friendly manner, and the wander in his eyes felt a little contagious. He seemed like a restless character, someone searching for something. The question, though, was _what_ was he searching for?

As he picked up the pencil, he paused, waiting to see if the young women would stop him again from writing. Instead, Astrid nodded to him and motioned with her hands for him to continue. Judging by the look of utter surprise he gave at the sound of his voice, she noted that it probably _had_ been a while since he'd last spoken, or at the very least had a conversation. And since she barely knew him, who could say that if she bothered him enough that he wouldn't spring up and attack her? Who knew if he was a dangerous man? Although, to be honest, he looked a bit scrawny to be life-threatening.

Another few minutes passed as he wrote before he handed her the sheet of paper.

" _Well, so I scavenged the woods for a few days looking for any sort of shelter, but that mission was fruitless."_ -A few days? In the _woods_? Was he really _that_ desperate?-" _There was another house a mile or two away, but they had a handful too many German Shepherds and Rottweilers for my taste."_ -Ah, yes. Mildews house. After all, he _was_ the reason she was able to afford her little home.-" _After a while longer I discovered this place. It looked quiet and I never saw any lights on in the house so I assumed the owner was gone."_ -Astrid looked up from the letter at Hiccup. He had gone back to nervously sipping from his mug. "I work a lot." He glanced up at her as she spoke. "That's why you never saw any lights." Hiccup gave a short, questioning look before deciding it wasn't his business to ask. Astrid sighed curtly. "I work at the local dragon habitat; short staff, long hours." At this, the young man nearly choked on his drink. He stared up at her in awe, wonder, and all things glorious. A sudden, urgent look came over him as he raced to write down another note to her. As he did so, Astrid watched on with curiosity, then went back to finishing her current read.-" _I didn't think I'd be bothering anybody if I traded place with the raccoons you had under your porch so… sorry about that, again, by the way._

 _As for why I came to this town, I was just looking for something I'd lost is all."_

Well that last part wasn't vague at all. And he really _was_ searching for something, huh? Intrigue had been sparked in her mind. _What_ was he looking for? Who knows... maybe she could even help the guy and he could be on his way and out of her life all-the-sooner.

As soon as Astrid lay down the current note, another was was quickly passed to her. She glanced over at the red head before turning it over to read. She paused when their eye's met. His green were filled with so much… she couldn't really tell. It was like an un-mask-able urgentness lifted high by hope. She almost began to feel guilty, fearing that what she was about to read might cause her to pull his sky-dive down to a puddle-jump.

To Hiccup, the young women couldn't have turned and read the note any slower. But when she did, her eye's popped a little, then her face turned stone. _She knew something._

Hiccup sat on the edge of his seat, waiting for her response. _Come on. Please._

"Yeah, I think I might know something about this." She waved the note in the air. Hiccup nearly passed out with relief, though not half a second later he was back on the edge of his seat, his heart pumping adrenaline instead of blood.

"I won't be able to find out for sure until tomorrow morning, though." She bit her lip for a moment, contemplating things. Suddenly, she stared fast at him, making eye-contact and all, forcing her way into his nervous focus. The young man stared back, holding on tightly to the steadiness of her gaze. "I have a basement." She started.

Hiccup sucked in a gasp full of air. Was she really…?

"You can sleep there tonight, but I'm locking you in."

Yes! Definitely! Absolutely!

He nodded quickly, his eyes nearly overflowing with relief. _Finally. Please, please please. Oh, finally!_

Astrid watched the stranger shiver with relief. He certainly didn't look like a brutal psychopath. Though you could almost never tell these days.

"I'm locking you in there though, you got me? I don't trust you one bit. This is the only chance you're getting." She leaned on the table, tipping it. The young man nodded his head vigilantly.

"I don't trust you, Hiccup. But I need to trust you in order to let you stay here. I need to hear you promise me that you won't try any funny business."

Hiccup took a moment, registering how big of a deal this was for her; letting a complete stranger stay with her and all. This was important. For both of them. "I understand." Both their eye's were wide as he spoke, neither quite recognizing his voice. She gave a curt nod.

"Good," She smirked. "Now I won't feel bad about beating you up if you try anything."

Hiccup gave a short chuckle at this, though with little more thought, he realized she totally could-and probably would-absolutely beat him to a pulp if she even suspected him of anything. After this thought, he sipped the last from his mug with a sudden, nervous gulp.

Roughly five minutes or so later-twenty minutes until midnight, she directed the stranger to the trapdoor and stairway to her basement. She had rolled up the rug in her living room and slid the coffee table to the edge of the small room, leaving the door to the basement open for a few minutes to let the air circulate so he wouldn't suffocate while he slept.

"There's a light down there if you need it." As soon as the young man was close enough to the door, she motioned for Hiccup to vamoose. "You've got a sleeping bag, right?" His red hair seemed to wave at her as he shook his head, carefully climbing down the stairs into the dark room. Just as Astrid was about to shut the door behind him, he turned around, looking her squarely in the eyes. "Yes?" She waited, she was starting to feel impatient. He looked around the room below him nervously, then looked back up to her.

"Thank you." This time, however, when he spoke, he didn't seem so shocked to hear his own voice. Just a little surprised that he had really said anything at all. A small smile lit his face, shedding a bit of light into the darkness around them.

"Don't thank me, Hiccup." Astrid looked down at him, feeling uncertain. Holding in a sigh, she continued, "I haven't done anything useful for you yet." She then waited until he had found the light-switch, then quickly closed the trap-door, sliding the bolt locked and pushing the coffee table over it-just in case. She sat on her couch, staring at the door, but thinking deeply. It was at least and hour and a half later when she stood up from the sofa, stepping carefully so as not to wake the man sleeping under her floor. She headed to the kitchen where there was a bit more privacy. Her heart was racing. What had she done?! Letting a _total stranger_ stay in her house. Especially when…

That reminded her. She needed to make a call.

Pulling an old flip-phone from her pocket, she diled in the ten digit number and waited.

There was a click on the other side of the line, a groggy voice sounding just after.

"Ah, what d'ya want, las?" The voice paused for a quick yawn. "It's nearly two in the morning!"

"I know, Gobber. I'm sorry, I just didn't know who to call besides you." She rubbed her arm, suddenly realizing that she was rather cold.

Gobber's end of the line was silent for a moment. "Is everythin' alrigh'? Yer no' in trouble I hope?"

"No, Gobber." Astrid gave a soft laugh, though thankful for his worry. "I don't think I'm in trouble. At least I hope not." Her tone grew more serious. "But listen, I need you to come over her as soon as you can. Like, _right now_ type of soon."

"Nhnn, alright-ty. And what should I bring? Bed-time stories? A sad movie? A shovel?" He chuckled a bit at his joke. The young women huffed at the middle-aged man. "It's about that one of those dragons we took in the other day at the habitat. I think I found our bad guy."

At this, the other end of the line was silent. Though fun as it was, Gobber took his job as owner of the local dragon habitat very seriously. Sure, the animals had taken a hand and foot, but he had moved on from that long ago. "Are ya sure, Lassie?" He asked, holding his breath. Astrid hesitated. "Not entirely sure, no. But we haven't released any information to the public about those dragons, and then he comes along, and, well…" She wasn't exactly sure how to explain everything that had gone down that evening with the Hiccup. It was a little complicated, if not simply an embarrassing tale to pass around. "Look, Gobber. I just need you to come as soon as you can. I've got the guy locked up in my basement. So hurry on over. Please. And if he isn't our guy, I'm confident he still knows _something._ "

A long, tired sigh was heard from the speaker of her phone. He just wouldn't ask. "I'll be there in twenty."

A short click of a button later, Astrid was, was once again, alone in the dark, staring silently at the trap door on her living room floor.

She _really_ hoped she was right, not that she was particularly doubting herself. But this was a very serious matter that had lot's of room for error.

Sitting back down at her kitchen table, her shoulders slumped. What a long day…

For a moment, she eyed the chair her unexpected guest had sat in before picking up the last note he had handed to her, the one he had been so willing to write to her.

Under the dim light of her kitchen, she squinted at the young man's handwriting.

" _I'm looking for a Night Fury. If you can tell me_ anything _, I'm begging you. I've got to find him."_

 _ **Based off a dream I had. I don't own the characters. Also, I have no idea when I will be updating this, just so you know.**_

 _ **And I know I've yet to finish Ten Years Too Soon, but just to let you know, I'm currently re-writing it.**_


	2. Chapter 2: Inform

_**Wow, I actually wrote another chapter! Check that out! Even finished it on the first day of college :'D**_

 _ **So I actually went and looked on my ipod for what I had written down of the dream I'm writing this fanfic about, and the dream was so different, lol. Who knows, maybe I'll have to write that too. Cx**_

 _ **Also, I am trying dearly to stick with the characters characters, so if you notice something... off, it's either with a reason, or just ask me.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

 _ **Review!**_

 _ **I have no idea when I'll be updating next!**_

-oOo-

Just as Gobber had promised, within twenty minutes he was pulling his old, rusted bronco into her driveway. Astrid was waiting for him at the front door.

"Shh, Gobber. He's right underneath us." She slipped a finger over her mouth, ushering her friend inside.

"And _what_ , exactly, are ya suggestin' we do about him?"

Astrid huffed, exasperated. "I thought _you_ had that figured out!" Both paused for a moment, thinking. And as though with the same, sudden idea, Gobber reached for his phone, and Astrid left to find anything that might be able to bind a man's hands.

-oOo-

Hiccup had lain awake a good while after shuffling down into the basement. The air was stuffy and the coldness of the floor had seeped through his sleeping bag. A knot formed inside his stomach while he laid there, shivering in the darkness that crept from the corners of the room. _What if this was just another wild goose chase? What if…_ Hiccup pulled his knees closer, his heart sinking at the thought. _What if he was too late?_

The young man lay awake for a while longer, eyeing the blackness. Finally, as he began drifting off, and his eyelids slid shut, the memory of his best friend and the nightmare that had torn them apart replayed before his mind's eye. It was the one thing he could never forget.

He didn't notice the soft thudding of the footsteps above him, gently drifting this way and that; and by the time the bolt on the trap door slid open and the heavy wooden board was being lifted from the first level floor, Hiccup was in a deep slumber, lost in the emptiness of the night.

-oOo-

When he awoke, he didn't even bother opening his eyes. The only thing he opened was his mouth, as he exhaled a long, tired sigh. He sat there for a moment wondering when these things would finally end for him. It was obvious to him that he hadn't gone to sleep sitting in a chair, yet he had woken up that way. And he _certainly_ knew that he didn't have his hands tied together behind his back when his exhaustion had taken over, either. As Hiccup lifted his head, he could feel the heat of a light-bulb making his brow uncomfortably warm.

 _What if they took her?_ His eye's shot open wide. He squinted at the unexpected brightness of the light, adjusting his focus. Around him the walls were solid stone, except for the one across from him which held a heavy metal door hanging off weak hinges.

"So. You're finally awake."

Hiccup jumped, turning his head to see who was behind him. The only thing he could see behind him, however, was darkness. The voice was low and male. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled, forcing himself to relax a little, then he took another breath, steeling himself up.

"What did you do to the women I was with?" Hiccup's throat was dry, and he felt uncomfortable at the sound of his voice. He waited, a cold expression in his eyes.

"Nothing you need to worry about." The stranger spoke as though the women's life mattered nothing. A sinking feeling found its way into the redhead's stomach.

"Let's talk, Hiccup." The man stepped into the light, revealing himself. He was lanky, with long, blonde dreadlocks falling down past his shoulders. Hiccup watched him closely. Since when did these people ever just want to "talk"?

"I'm sure you're wondering where your Night Fury is." The man went on, folding an arm and inspecting his fingernails. To his words, the captive sat up straight and narrowed his eyes, twisting his wrists, hoping to somehow loosen his bonds. The man with the dreadlocks stood in front of Hiccup, towering above him with distaste in his blue eyes.

"To bad for you, though. You won't be getting him back."

"What did you-"

"You mean what did _you_ do to him! That's right!" He crossed his arms with disgust. "We found him and all the other dragons you've been abusing. You're an evil man, Hiccup-whoever you are!"

Hiccup was completely flabbergasted. _Him? Abusing dragons?!_ The simple idea of it was just-just-absolutely absurd! Preposterous! Lunatic! If _anything_ , he was on a mission to save any helpless dragons out in the world, and to make peace with them. A terrifying thought struck his mind. As it rose to priority, a thin thread of fear quivered inside his heart.

"Is he okay?" He mumbled, his voice giving way at the thought.

"Hm?"

"Tell me! Is Toothless okay? You said he'd been abused? How? Who was it? What did they do?" He had tried standing up, but with his arms tied around the chair, he was pulled back down by it's unbalancing weight. Sweat shone on the redheads brow; his wrists itchy underneath the tight binding.

"Hey, _I'm_ the one doing the interrogation! So that means I get to ask the questions around here. Jeez, I mean, it's an _interrogation_ , for crying out loud!" Hiccup rolled his eyes. "So...who's Toothless?" The dreadlocked man crossed his arms and sagged his thin shoulders. Hiccup's eyes popped in frustration. "The Night Fury!" He shouted. "Is he okay? You've got to tell me. Please," He begged, using a much calmer voice. "Is he alright?"

The blonde man was taken aback by Hiccup's concern, but it didn't take long for the shock in his eyes to be replaced with suspicion.

"Ah-hah!" The man chuckled. "You don't _actually_ care. You're just trying to trick me into thinking you do!" He put his hands on his hips as though he were the smartest man in the world. Hiccup grit his teeth, majorly annoyed by this dimwit of a man. Maybe, in some other life, he might be able to tolerate the blonde man's lack of basic thinking skills, but now was not the moment to be thinking of such things.

"Oh _please_. Give me a break! Why would I _ever_ want to hurt that Night Fury? Or any other dragon for that matter?"

And the man stood, a hand stroking his non-existent beard, searching for a reason to argue by. Hiccup refused to allow him to find one. "Just… listen," He hung his head low in misery. Why couldn't things ever work out right for him? "I don't care what you do to me. I've been through it all before. But please," He looked up at the man, his green eyes pleading desperately. "I just want to know if Toothless is okay." His head fell low again, the stranger seemingly pondering deeply. And, to the anguish of Hiccup's heart, the man turned-leaving the room without a word.

-oOo-

Outside the improvising interrogation room, the blonde man made his way down a dimly lit hall and turned suddenly, sounding a puzzling sequence of thuds on a door with his knuckles. He waited, but nothing happened. Again, he knocked an intricate beat. Just moments later, a dark haired man pulled the door open, giving him a glare of scorn. The man then turned his head around to eye the people behind him.

"Do we have to let him in? I say we leave him outside and lock the door."

From a chair a ways back, Astrid sighed. "For the last time, Snotlout. Next time we do something like this you'll get to be the interrogator, I promise. But we drew straws, there wasn't anything any of us could have done about who got to do what." With an angry huff and a slandering mumble, he opened the metal door just wide enough for the dreadlocked man to walk through. "Wow, Snotlout, so good to see you wallowing in misery." The blonde man snickered.

"Oh, I'll show you "wallowing in misery", Tuffnut." Snotlout threatened, turning back towards the man, a glint in his eye.

"Well-"

"Come on, you two!" A husky blonde man in the back threw out his hands. "What did the guy say, Tuffut?"

Five sets of anxious eyes looked toward Tuffnut for an answer. Astrid, Gobber, Fishlegs, Tuffnut's twin sister Ruffnut, and Snotlout sat around a table with an old monitor sitting upon it, waiting fretfully for the man's reply. Tuffnut, now the center of attention, took a moment to bask in it's glory.

The group were blessed to have a camera inside the interrogation room with a high quality video streaming to their computer, though unfortunately, audio feed was not an available choice. Out of this small group stood Astrid. "So? What did he say, Tuffnut? Did he confess?" All night long she'd been seesawing back and forth between believing their prisoner's possible innocence or guilt. Now she would learn if her choice was the right one.

Tuffnut shook his head, his long hair swinging at the movement. "Actually, that guy doesn't seem to like talking much at all." He made his way to an empty chair near Ruffnut and sat down.

"Well," Gobber urged, scooting closer from the other end. "What _did_ the lad say?"

"Well, I mean, for a guy who's supposedly _abusing_ dragons, he sure seemed awfully worried about them. _Es-pecially_ that Night Fury. You should've heard the guy," His shoulders bounced with a chuckle. "All wide eyed and crying, asking if Toothless was okay."

"Toothless?" Fishlegs repeated curiously, a wandering look in his eyes.

"Uh, duh." Ruffnut swooshed her thin hands, leaning back in her chair. "That's what Tuffnut said." Her brother nodded in conformation.

A scoff came from the back of the row. "What do you mean _Toothless_?" Snotlout threw his arms out into the air. "All that dragon has been doing the entire two weeks we've had him here is growling and snarling at us!"

"Hey, I don't know why he named it that. Maybe the guy's just weird." Tuffnut offered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Not as weird as you," Ruffnut laughed.

A soft, horrified gasp hushed the room. Everyone turned to look at Astrid as the blood drained from her face and her eyes opened wide in terror. She pivoted slowly towards the back of the row. "Hey, Snotlout." Her voice was calm, but the blue in her eyes was raging wild like a storm on the sea. "How long did you say we've had those dragons? Three, four weeks?" She asked, praying she'd heard him wrong.

"We've had them for two weeks." He looked around uncertainly. "Why?" He drawled, a fearful glimmer in his eyes. He knew that when Astrid was wearing _that_ expression, no good thing was to follow in its succession.

"Oh boy," Gobber groaned. "This can't be good."

Astrid raised her hands, encasing her cheeks. "We've got the wrong guy." Her voice was small and terrified.

"Now, Astrid." Gobber laid his hand on her shoulder, a grimy feeling swimming inside his gut. "What exac'ly do you mean by " _the wrong guy"_? You said he was lookin' for those dragons, right? That the lad "just had to find them"."

She nodded thoroughly. "Yeah, he wrote it down on a note. But Gobber," A heavy guilt washed over her face. "He's been at my place for at _least_ the past three weeks, if not more." She paused, anxious of what she'd done to the young man. A regretful lump forged in her throat. "And that report from the D.R.P.D.-"

"Didn't it say that that the guy was seen fleeing the scene on a Gronckle?" Fishlegs feared aloud, rubbing his sweating palms on his jeans. Astrid nodded, ashamed to no end of her mistake. They'd _kidnapped_ a man based on her suspicions. And _sure_ , to be fair, he'd been staying in secret at her place, hiding under her porch and going through her garbage, but as she glanced at the streaming video on the computer, his head falling low and his shoulders sinking lower and lower with each breath he took… what had she done. She knew nothing about the young man or the troubles he's faced. She had jumped to a conclusion, not taking the time to properly think everything through with consideration.

"And you know Mildew," She added. "He has dragon repellent _everywhere_ within a six mile radius, there's no way the Gronckle could have carried him anywhere _near_ my place." Her heart had fallen to the heels of her feet, and her eye's to the floor. "He's innocent."

A long silence passed over the group, the weight of her statement nearly crushing the room. Gobber gave Astrid's shoulder a gentle squeeze, looking on the upside. "It's alright, Las. Earlier you said he seemed nice enough, right? Well maybe he'll send a bit of understandin' our way." Astrid gave a small nod, then stood up.

"I'm going to go let him out."

"Are you sure, Lassie? If you need me to do it, I can." Offered Gobber. Astrid declined his offer with a shake of her head and left them, doom creeping closer and closer on her spine as she neared the room. She should be the one to try and explain things-she reminded herself, even though she _really_ didn't want to. With a heavy sigh, she twisted the handle and opened the door. Instantly, Hiccup's head shot up. A relieved smile lit his face when he recognized her. "Did they hurt you?" He leaned forward, getting a closer look to make sure no cut or bruise blemished her skin. She walked past him, not able to look him in the eye.

"What's wrong?" His voice was low, eye's watching her sharply as she neared him. Behind the redhead, she pulled a pocketknife from her boot and cut his bonds. He dropped forward, grunting in pain as he pulled his shoulders into a healthy position. Hiccup began wringing his wrists, glancing at the women with unspoken intrigue. In she had come, silent and suspicious, and then she cut him free. That, as far as he was concerned, wasn't the normal way for a hostage to act.

Astrid stood in front of him, eyeing her shoelaces, a timid rub of her thumb on her wrist. "Hiccup…" She began, daring to look him in the eye; and as soon as she did so, Astrid knew he had figured it out, and that it hadn't taken much for him to do so. "Listen Hiccup, I'm sorry for all of… this. Be angry, yell, scream, I know I deserve it. We just thought we were doing the right thing."

"By tying me up and _interrogating me?_ You took me prisoner in my sleep!" He flung his hands into the air, exasperated. "I put my trust in you to _help me_! Not kidnap me!"

"I know," She mumbled, looking away. An uncomfortable silence followed, letting moment by moment slip away. A sharp huff cut through the air. Astrid lifted her head. The man before her ginned a "this is so stupid" type of grin, chuckling softly. To her surprise, he had bent down low with a great big laugh. She raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of the punchline. "Listen," Hiccup stood up, gently locking yes with her. "You thought you were doing the right thing. If I were suspecting someone of abusing dragons, I would probably do something like this-" He waved a hand, gesturing to the room and chair. "-Too."

The air in Atrids lungs left with a great big swoosh. Was he really alright with everything that she and the others had done?

"But you have to believe me when I say that I _didn't_ hurt those dragons. And that-If anything, what I do helps them." He had rested a hand in the air, pushing down slightly to give effect.

"Don't worry, we do believe you." Astrid remorsed, then raised an eyebrow, suddenly wary of his meaning. "And what _do_ you do?"

To this, Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck shyly, the corner of his lip turning up as his eyes drifted through the room. "Well… ahah…" Suddenly, his green eyes sparked, concern tensing the muscles on his face.

"First," He dipped his chin. "Can you to take me to the Night Fury?" He took an anxious breath. "Please,"

Astrid paused, gave a small nod, then reached out, touching his arm. "Come on," She turned, holding the door open for him. "Follow me," He flashed her a small, thankful smile, to which she, in turn, gave an apologetic one. And off two went, striding down the hallway, up a flight of stairs, and then a maze of doors and rooms. Hiccup was silent during their walk, too focused on reuniting with his best friend to answer most of Astrid's questions. "Please," He'd stopped walking and looked at her. "I've had enough interrogating for one day, if that's alright." He was aware he had sounded brash, and he didn't enjoy making that impression of himself, but under the circumstances he found his words quite reasonable. He did take notice, as well, of a chorus of voices and the soft thunder of footsteps following a ways behind them. Hiccup did, however, have a few questions of his own. "Where did you find him? I've been searching for nearly two months with one goose-chase after another."

"Actually, we got an anonymous tip." She started. "It was really weird though." Hiccup looked at her.

"This guy had called and told us a bunch of dragons at a house a couple miles out of town were hurt-that it looked like they had been through some nasty type of fighting or something." She shrugged, leading Hiccup down a long hall. "So of course we hurried down there with the Dragon Rescue and Preservation Department…" Astrid paused, taking a deep breath, glancing at the young man at her side. "It was really bad, Hiccup. Really bad. And what's even worse is that the guy holding them there-injuring them-he got away."

Hiccup had stayed and silent, a grim look in his eyes, listening to her as she went into detail of what had happened.

Two weeks ago, the group had quickly made their way to the house, expecting an easy case to handle. But they had found nearly two dozen dragons who were bruised, bleeding, and scarred deep. Some were wearing muzzles, others starved or deprived of water to near death.

Hiccup's breath was caught by a tight grip of fear when she described the deep pit in the center of the house's yard. From the bottom of it they had heard an echoing screech of a dragon, and when they discovered a Night Fury was down there, they turned full force, hurrying to save what they thought to probably be the last of its kind. And, upon Hiccup's further questioning, he discovered that the villain who had gotten away was suspected of being part of several underground smuggling rings. When the redhead inquired about how badly injured Toothless was on their discovery of him, however, Astrid deflected the question with a gentle glance of pity.

As they traveled closer to the outside, the familiar farm-like smell of dragons snuck itself through the vents, their loud reptilian chirping and roars carrying through windows and doors. At long last, Astrid pulled Hiccup down the final corridor, leading him to what was their exit.

Out the back door, the sun was blinding and warm, the noise of the masses of dragons caught Hiccup unsuspecting.

Astrid continued on, leading the way with a brisk pace, their quest not yet over. Hiccup looked, eyes shining at the many cages, stalls, and perches, and at all the dragons residing both in and on them. They had at least one hundred different breeds there, he was sure. He watched in awe at the wonderful shelters they had created for the amazing creatures.

By the time they'd walked to the edge of the habitat, his eyes were nearly popping in wonder. A malaise had set in, however. The calls made by the dragons had quieted severely, barely a croon or a snort heard. The air was thick and humid, and the looming trees denied any offer of comfort.

"This is where we keep the injured or more testy dragons." Astrid informed, motioning to the heavy cages around her. "It's safer here for them; though I doubt the dooming atmosphere back in this area is really any better than getting into little fights with the other dragons in the front." She pulled a pair of keys from her pocket, taking a moment to find the right one before walking on. Hiccup looked around him, eyeing the grey cages and the dark shadows. Toothless was somewhere back here, injured-and to what extent the redhead did not know. Inside the passing cages, he noted several types of dragons: a Smothering Smokebreath, a Raincutter, a Deadly Nadder, a Monstrous Nightmare, a Boneknapper, a Skrill, even, and so on and so on. Finally, they arrived at a small enclosure.

Hiccup watched Astrid anxiously as she slid the key into its lock, she stopped her movements, there, however, turning to look him in the eyes. "Hiccup, I'm not sending you in here with a clear conscious, just so you know." He locked his stare with hers, noting the same demanding and bold blue he'd been caught up by the night before. She pursed her lips and continued. "The Night Fury-Toothless-for the past two week he's been here has been restless and dangerous. I can't even tell you whether or not he's eaten anything we've left in his cage. I know you don't trust me, but I'm really hoping you trust this dragon, because last time someone tried going in there, I was watching when they barely made it out in time." Her eyebrows furrowed. "When he came here, he was hurt pretty bad… Just be careful." Hiccup nodded. The word _dangerous_ certainly didn't sound like the Toothless he knew. The redhead took a slow, deep breath, preparing himself for whatever the possible situation. He gave a nod to Astrid, walking past her and unlocking the door to the cage. This stall wasn't quite like the others, as it seemed much more firmly enclosed. He could only assume the reason why.

 **Also I literally just finished writing this chapter like ten minutes ago and haven't really gone and re-read the second half of it (which I'm sure I'll come to regret) but ah well.**

 **Please, please,** ** _please, review!_** ** _It really get's me writing! Tell me your thoughts, your dreams, what you had for dinner! I do not care, just love on this story, 'kay? Cx_**


	3. Chapter 3: Reunited

**Don't say I didn't warn ya about the crazy releasing schedule, hahaha...**

 **ANYWAYS. AN IMPORTANT NOTE. PLEASE READ.**

 **-** ** _For fullest viewer experience for this chapter, please listen to the song "Return", written and performed by Alexander Rybak. It's on YouTube, and I highly recommend checking it out._**

 **And also! A huge and heartfelt shoutout to Smoe05 for giving me some Important Inspiration for this chapter! :D Thank you bunches! :D 3 xD**

 **-** **Aiacco** **: Hahaha, your review made me laugh. Gobber with dreadlocks is just... quite dreadful, honestly xD a bit frightwening haha. And I'm glad you like the AU! I do too! Haha. There are honestly so many other fanfics out there where dragons are humanities greatest enemy and all that fun stuff, but I wanted to take a different approach. Plus the idea for this fanfic came from a dream I had. Though the dream is quite different from what I remembered. (Unfortunately, i didn't think to go find what I'd written down of the dream until I'd already posted the first chapter, so oh well, xD lol)**

 **-** **Theblackbird123** **: Hahahahahahaha... sorrynotsorrybutstillabitsorrybutmaybenotidon'tknow**

 **-** **Grima** **: Well we'll certainly have to find out! (I'll be frank and say that I haven't planned out all those specific and very important details... but I can almost promise it won't be who you're suspecting... :0 maybe :D) And also, yes! Dragons in the modern world! And they're full sized as well which I think makes quite the situation. :D Thanks for reviews, by the way! They certainly got me writing!**

 **-Guests** **: Thank you guys a bunch!**

 **Thank you everyone for the reviews, you honestly have no idea how much they motivate me. AND! Please share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for this story in your comments as well! The more you question, the more I find need to answer!**

 ** _Also,_** **a lot more was supposed to happen in this chapter, but it was already around 4000 words and I just wanted to get it up and posted already, haha. But don't worry! :D There will be more to come! (Just can't promise you when is all xD)**

 **-oOo-**

It had been, quite literally, one of the darkest times Toothless had ever known. Even since he and Hiccup had been ambushed by the dragon hunters; he was chained and shipped off through the smuggling rings, his mind focused on escape. Or it was, at least, for a while. Soon, however, his daily battle was to survive the dragon fighting rings.

Speed Stingers, Whispering Deaths, Snaffletags, Wraiths, Nadders, ArmorWings, Monstrous Nightmares, Thornridges, even a Wing Nasher and a Triple Strike, he was pit against them all and more. It was day after day _after day_ of fighting and clawing his way through survival, and it was eating Toothless from the inside out, as well as beating him from the outside in. He had, at one glorious moment in time, managed to escape; blasting through a weak point in the hinges of his cage, but fate soon caught him with chains and dragon root stun-darts.

When he was at first sold to the hooded man, his scales were darker than before and scarred with crosses and blue with bruising. As far as he could tell, he was being taken away from the arena, which made him partly relieved, but mostly paranoid. Where was he being taken this time? Should he try to escape _now_ or wait for better conditions? Would he have to fight again? Was Hiccup okay? Where was he? Was he close? Was he even alive?

A growl rumbled through Toothless' empty stomach. The last he had seen of his rider, his best friend, was the boy in the edge of a midnight battleground, his eyelids sinking shut under the weight of unconsciousness, his arm outstretched, reaching for his only friend, for all that he had, and all that was being taken from him. He had called out to Toothless, telling him it would be alright, that he would come find him and rescue him. But then Toothless was dragged away, muzzled and chained inside a dragon proof cage; dizzied by the effects of dragon root, the last glimpses he'd had of Hiccup were desperate and frightening ones that had sunk into the innermost depths of his memory.

However, he refused that vision to be the last of his rider. Toothless wouldn't let things end there. Above him in the sky, the daylight was quickly disappearing. Night was approaching swiftly but the moon had risen early and bright, as though it were praying along with him to fly again.

He walked, circling around aimlessly at the bottom of the pit he had been dropped into. Finally he sat, completely exhausted, his body sore and his bones aching. He was starving, thirsty, and worn thin. Where could Hiccup be? Toothless crooned into the darkness, the world above him casting a purple glow onto the sharp ridges of his prison. He wanted to fly, he wanted to be hugged, to feel the cold air slipping by his scales as he took a nosedive. He wanted to hear Hiccup's voice again, instead of the vulgar snarls from the dragon smugglers. He wanted so many things, and he deserved them, he knew. He had been a good dragon. He had been a good friend. Why had fate chosen this path for him?

With a hole in his heart, Toothless sighed, closing his eyes, imagining Hiccup's hands scratching his nose and forehead. His best friend was out there somewhere, he could feel it. _But_ _where?_

And from then on, the days had passed horribly slow for Toothless. Food and water were prizes won or stolen, but soon the dragon couldn't bring himself to fight the others he was set against, at least not a fight deemed worthy of the new arena he'd been presented to. Thrown to stay in the pit, its darkness had made his heart weary and the silence had taken away a great deal of hope.

When the hooded man came back, cranking the door from the top of his cage, Toothless could only bare his teeth and rumble a small warning, unable to do much more. The man was silent but quick as he approached Toothless, luring him on his way to the elevator pulley with fresh, wonderfully smelling fish. The wood had creaked under the dragon's weight, but Toothless was alert now. He hadn't been let outside the pit for what felt like forever, and though he kept his eyes closed and his body limp, he was pulling every last bit of energy he could from his deepest reserves. This could very well be his only chance of escape.

As soon as he reached the top, he bolted forward blindly, crashing into cages and stalls, upsetting the entire encampment while looking for a way out.

He couldn't find it.

Cornered.

Captured.

He had been beaten, time and time again, and thrown back into the deep, dark hole. His snout was muzzled firmly shut, a thick chain around his neck and shackles around his legs. They even put bindings on his wings, though what good that would do them Toothless didn't understand; he needed Hiccup to fly. Without his rider, he was only a downed dragon.

At last, as a thick sheet was pulled to cover the door above the hole, the dragon sank to the dusty stone floor, his heart clenching with misery. He just wanted to be free. He just wanted to know if Hiccup was okay.

Time continued on for the dragon with a sorrowful dullness. Toothless couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten or drank. And now he couldn't even stretch his wings. Or not, at least, until one evening when he heard all hell break loose above him. Dragons screaming and men fighting. Maybe it was some sort of raid. Maybe it was Hiccup… His eyes burst wide open. Maybe it was Hiccup! Toothless listened carefully to the destruction reigning above him as he dragged himself to his feet one last time, and with all the strength he could muster, he roared louder than ever before, sending a desperate cry for help to the one person he knew was sure to hear it.

Everything after that was a blur for him as bright lights and dizzying noises bounced their way down the walls of the pit, unlocking his chains and smoothing his scales with gentle hands. They had come and stuck him with something, and too suddenly had had passed out onto the cold floor, anguish quivering through his body.

When Toothless awoke, it was to the rays of sun and the sound of birds. Something was off. Where was he? Where was Hiccup? Could this be a trick of some sort? Where were the smugglers?

Surrounding him was a large metal dome with a glass ceiling. A pond, water, trees, a feeding basket. No chains or bindings, no muzzle. But he wasn't free, and he was still alone.

From the soft ground, Toothless laid limply in the sunlight, desperately soaking in the comfort of its warmth. Eventually, after he knew not how long, he rose to his feet, swaying and shaking, and managed to eat a fish or two that had been laid nearby. He would wait for his captors to come to him. Toothless was a Night Fury, after all. One of a kind, he told himself. He had to escape and find his friend.

The one thing he wasn't expecting, of course, was every time that his captors opened the doors, he would ambush them, and every time he did so they would _somehow_ manage to run out screaming _just_ before his plasma blast could hit. Toothless knew he was running out of time. If Hiccup hadn't found _him_ by now, than something must have happened to the young rider, and that thought kept Toothless awake with the moon, staring at the dark sky with just a small amount of hope to one day reunite with his best friend.

Gently, his body aching painfully with each movement, Toothless had slowly managed to curl himself behind one of the boulders, crooning with the heartbreak of despair. And as the sound fell upon no one's ears, he was, once again, taken over by a hopelessness that left him wondering if it would-or could-ever leave.

 **-oOo-**

With a click of the lock, Hiccup pushed gently on the heavy doors. Inside the domed enclosure all was silent. Nothing stirred, and as he stepped inside, even the loud echoes of the dragons were cut out by the thick walls. The glass ceiling above him let in whatever valuable light it could, though what morning rays managing through the branches of the trees above were sparse.

"Toothless?" Hiccup called out softly, spinning in a circle, searching for his dragon. The dome was rather large, with green grass and a grove of white aspen inside it. There were boulders to his left, a feeding trough in the far right, and a pond in the center of the clearing, but no Night Fury. Or none, at least, that he could see.

"Toothless?" His eyebrows bunched together in concern; his mind racing with one terrifying thought after another as to why his dragon wasn't responding.

A small current of air traveled into the pen, slowly closing the door behind itself. The breeze went onwards, encircling the trees. Hiccup turned to the sound of the aspen waving its leaves gently, cool air passing by. It was a serene environment. Hair prickling, but serene all the same.

A soft _coo_ flowed through the dome; it was such a hushed sound that Hiccup almost didn't hear it. The young man's ears perked up, however, grasping onto the disappearing noise. He followed it around the pond and past the trough and tree grove, coming to a slow stop behind the boulders. Half of his weary heart soared high into the air with joy, the other half plummeted to the soles of his feet.

Oh. Toothless, Bud.

-oOo-

Now, Toothless hadn't had many dreams in his lifetime, but when a kind sound echoed through the dome, his eyelids shivered open, barely parting at all, and before him, his hazed vision collected a cruel sight from the Heavens. Before him, surely, was an illusion, one of his rare dreams, a simple, painful trick of the mind. Hiccup couldn't _really_ be standing in front of him. It was impossible.

But when Hiccup dropped to his knees, Toothless could feel the vibrations through the dirt. And when Hiccup gently rubbed the scales on Toothless' head, _that_ was real, too.

"Toothless! Oh, Bud, I'm so sorry." Hiccup's voice shook as he lifted his best friends head, the boy's eyes moist at the realization that he had finally found his best friend. "I'm so sorry."

Toothless squeezed his eyes tight, hoping to shake himself of the exhaustion and ache, but the best he could do was croon desperately to his rider, relief sweeping over them both.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, Bud. I was so worried." Hiccup wrapped his arms around the Night Fury's neck, supporting his tired weight. "I know, Bud. I know. But don't worry… you'll be okay, we'll get you through this. I promise. It'll be alright."

Hiccup looked over the dragon's body, at all the scars and lumps and bruises cascading across his black scales. The beast seemed smaller, too. With a sad smile, Hiccup hugged his dragon tightly, his arms weak with relief. Inside, though, an anger burned in his stomach worse than any acid could. How did he let this happen to his closest friend? No dragon deserved to have been treated this cruelly. _Especially_ Toothless.

In turn, Toothless stuck out his tongue and licked the side of Hiccup's face, drawing the boy from his thoughts with a small laugh. "Thanks, Bud. I'm alright. It's good to see you too," Hiccup rubbed the scales on Toothless' neck, a certain piece of his heart returning to it's rightful place.

-oOo-

Outside the dome, things had become rather eventful. As soon as Hiccup had stepped inside the Night Fury's enclosure, Gobber, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the Twins jumped from the corner of the walkway, all of them over-excitedly barraging Astrid with questions and thoughts.

"So what's he like?"

"Don't fret about it, Lass. You did the right thing,"

"Oh, I hope he wasn't _too_ upset with us."

"What did the man say?"

"Why the heck did you just let the guy into the Night Fury's cage?! Are you _crazy?_ He'll be eaten alive in there!"

"Oh, goody! I've been waiting for some decent entertainment around here!"

"For Pete's sake!" Astrid raised her hands. "Would you guys calm down a little. He should be coming out soon anyways." She sighed and turned around to look at the door-which was now closed. _That_ probably wasn't a good sign.

Quickly she ran to the door, yanking hard to open it.

"Hiccup! Are you alright?" She shouted, poking her head into the enclosure with leery. From behind the boulders the young man called back.

"Over here!" He stood up, waving an arm for her attention. "Toothless needs help."

From behind her, the group had followed, peering past her shoulder in amazement and wonder.

"How is the guy not _dead_ already! He's crazy!" Snotlout flung his hands into the air.

"He's _dreamy_ ," Ruffnut smiled, her eyes squinting to get a better view of the stranger. Entering the dome with a roll of her eyes, Astrid approached the man and his dragon with slow and careful steps.

"Astrid don't go in there!" Snotlout commanded, horrified as he braced himself at the door.

At the approaching footsteps, Toothless tried to get to his feet with a growl in his throat, but his knees buckled, forcing him to the ground.

"Shh, it's okay Toothless, it's okay. She's on our side," Hiccup rubbed his dragon's scaly head with assurance. "I think so, anyway." Toothless warbled, nudging his partner's palm. Hiccup smiled. "Don't worry, Bud. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." The young man stood part way, stretching his arms calmly between his best friend and the cautiously approaching woman, waving to her that it was okay to come close.

"You know," he began, casting a long glance at her. "This might be a little easier if, uh, Toothless here... knew your name?" Hiccup bunched then shrugged his shoulders, looking away towards his dragon. The young woman's mouth fell open for a moment before she shook her head, obviously restraining the urge to smack a palm to her forehead.

"Oh, my gosh. I didn't even realize-" she fumbled, blue eyes wide. The women continued like that for a moment, her tone gaining uncertainty as she neared the Night Fury. Finally she shut her mouth, then, opening it quickly, "It's Astrid." Anger and embarrassment arched her eyebrows and a bright flush befell her cheeks as she rounded the boulder. However, when her eyes perceived the hidden side, a look of surprise and concern replenished the muscles on her face. There she stood, stopped in her tracks by the dizzying gaze of a Night Fury.

 _Oh boy._ Astrid came around slowly, her mind flurried by the grandiose beast. He was indeed in need of help, but none of which she could give additionally. The dragon watched her carefully, Astrid returning the competition. As she watched the large eyes of the beast, she didn't even register the man guide her hand to the dragon's nose until after the fact, and when Toothless met her palm with a warm puff of air-when last she'd seen of him he had tried to shoot her down-Astrid felt something spark, a simple but excited connection of two wires inside her mind, maybe even somewhere deeper. What an amazing creature this was-not that she hadn't already known, but now she felt a connection to him, though an obviously small one.

The moment Toothless pulled his snout away from her hand her surrounding returned, and once again she was facing the dragon, but this time with a little less mystique in the air.

Hiccup looked up expectantly at the young women, hoping for some sort of miracle relief for his dragon, but Astrid could give no such thing.

"All we can do for him is make sure he's nourished. There really isn't anything else that we're able to do…" Astrid had answered the young man's call for help, though not with the phrase he was searching for. "However," She added, a kind smile rounding her cheeks. Hiccup waited, his sinking heart questioning the option to rise. "He didn't have you here before… but now," Astrid nudged Hiccup's shoulder with her fist. "He just needs to allow himself some TLC is all. Plus, I think just having you here with him has already improved his condition. Both of yours I'd say." She laughed softly. "He even _let me_ in here,"

The young man rubbed his arm, his lips half turned up in a smile and his eyebrows half turned in confusion at her sudden strike. He gave Toothless a look and a small shake of his head, then watched her rise from her knees on the ground. She hurriedly made way passed the pond to the feeding trough and plucked up a bright orange bucket from the ground, filling it with fish from the basket. On her way back to Hiccup and Toothless she chanced her eyes on the door-all five of her co-workers had one body part or another cramming through the door, all trying to squeeze past. Astrid continued on, only raising a slightly bewildered eyebrow at their antics.

"Are those the others who, uh…?" Hiccup drawled, craning his neck; intrigued to follow her line of vision. Astrid cast her gaze, and with guilt and embarrassment she nodded her head.

"I honestly don't know how we could ever make up for what we did… for what _I_ did." She set the bucket of fish next to Toothless, tipping it over for the dragon.

As the fish spilled out onto the cool grass, Toothless sniffed the cod, and with only a small glance of caution he dove straight in, drawing piles into his mouth with a slurp. Hiccup watched his best friend, a grin finding it's way onto his face.

He stayed silent a moment, and then, turning to her, his back and hands relaxed as he drew her eyes toward his, "If it weren't for you guys, Toothless would still be trapped right now, maybe even… " Hiccup paused, stopping the thought.

"But you guys saved him." His face lightened. "And just think!" He laughed, a shake of his head and rustled hair. "If you _hadn't_ found me and tied me to a chair, I might never have found him!" Hiccup rubbed the dragon's scales, his friend responding with a delighted croon, his head still chowing down inside the orange bucket. "You guys saved him, Astrid. So, I mean, _really,_ _I_ should be the one to repay the deed."

A smile made its way onto Astrids face, but no matter what Hiccup said, she would still try to compensate for the mistake and unfathomable inconvenience. Hiccup grinned back, kindness in his eyes for a long moment as Toothless filled himself with fish. Once again, the young man found himself caught by Astrid's eyes. They were deep and confident, as blue as the open oceans. Light hair, fair skin, patches of red on her cheeks, and a certain amount of _daring_ that rested on the curve of her shoulders. He watched, unmistakably trapped.

And Astrid watched him, too. She considered him, his mess of dirtied forest colors and all, wondering what his story was; where he came from, how he discovered Berk on his quest for Toothless. The stranger was such a bundle of mystery, and Astrid was uncertain of where to start the search for truth.

Tuffnut rested an elbow on top of a boulder, overlooking the scene before him. "So does this mean Mr. _Not_ -Bad-Guy is staying?" He asked with a wave of his hand. Astrid and Hiccup both jumped, the boy and his dragon backing up quite defensively.

"Hey there," Tuff acknowledged with a swift salute. Then, ignoring the man, "Wow, Astrid. Sure are surprised that Night Future didn't totally tear you apart."

"Or any of us, for that matter." Beside her brother, Ruffnut grinned with dark thoughts.

Astrid, with a shake of her head, rolled her eyes-certainly not in the mood for remarks.

"Right?" Said Fishlegs in amazement, slowly edging towards Toothless. "It's incredible! How do you keep him so calm?" The young man asked Hiccup. The blonde tapped the tips of his fingers together, anticipating some miracle form of technique.

All eyes turned toward the stranger and beast; who were still backed up, looking rather perturbed and upset by the sudden form of intrusion. Toothless raised his head at the group he'd previously met with distaste and opened his mouth, his teeth forewarning a grismal end. However, after a brief moment of sudden composure, Hiccup awkwardly cleared his throat and pat Toothless reassuringly on the head.

"He's not usually aggressive like this..." _Unless he feels threatened, of course._ But Hiccup left that bit out, hoping to reform his dragons stellar reputation. "But whatever they did to him must've done a lot more than leave a few scars." His voice had become softer, more-so like he was thinking out-loud than responding to a curious question. Remembering his audience, he looked up at the large man who had asked. Hiccup then stood, awkwardly wiping his palms on his jeans. He reached out his hand, a very uncertain smile recycling on face as he shook hands down the line of people. Snotlout ignored his offer, of course, watching the stranger with distrust and a hint of scorn. The blonde woman with the long hair had held on a little too long for his comfort and ease, but he quickly forgot _that_ discomfort under the bone-crushing pressure and grip of the assemblies oldest member: a middle-aged man with a long, streaming mustache, a protruding chin, and a glaring pair of blue peekers that bore too deeply and carefully into Hiccup's life and possible ulterior motives. And of course, the hook and wooden leg only added to the intimidation.

"Hiccup," The young man introduced himself. "It's a, uh… pleasure to meet you all." He nodded, momentarily lost on contradiction of his statement. He sent a lost glance towards Astrid, who, it should be added, was hiding a small smile beneath the guise of itching her nose. Hiccup pressed his lips together, no apparent back-up to be had in this situation. His attention was taken, however, when Toothless rumbled a low growl at the workers, not too fond of the way they were watching his best friend.

Hiccup turned. "Shh, no, it's _okay_ , Bud. They won't hurt us," He added quietly, patting Toothless' head. The young man looked upwards at the group, hoping to erase the doubt hidden in his statement. He quickly turned back to his dragon.

The Night Fury stared back at him, his detailing eyes beginning to shut from the excitement of the day. And, after a handful of moments and realizations of oncoming darkness, the dragon rested his head with a croon and leaned fearfully into Hiccup's hands, unwillingly falling prey to slumber.

It was with a shift of her weight towards the newcomer that Astrid recognized this opportune moment to offer the young man a bit of support, though an incredibly subtle amount it was. The other young adults shifted themselves a bit too, some uncomfortable as they anticipated the moment, others almost bored with it.

Finally, after a long, desolating moment of silence, Gobber stepped forward, drawing the attention of the others and Hiccup to face the old man. What Hiccup was expecting, he wasn't sure. But he was, certainly, at the very least accepting of the outcome.

 **D: Awww, poor Toothless. I was not expecting this chapter to go this way, but hopefully you all enjoy it ether way! :D**


	4. Chapter 4: Amnesia

**Hahahahaaaaa... been a while... ahah... Well, anyways, enjoy! :D**

Gobber spoke up. "Sorry about earlier, Lad. Certainly not the warmest welcome you've received, I'm sure," With a pat, he laid a hand on Hiccup's unsuspecting shoulder.

 _Well,_ Hiccup thought with slight amusement, _It wasn't the worst, either._

"How about we show you around-give you something to eat as an apology of sorts. Heaven knows you could use it." He laughed, giving the boy's thin shoulder a squeeze, but not much of a choice. Hiccup was hesitant to leave Toothless, however. Catching on, Fishlegs and Astrid shared a glance.

"Um, Hiccup." Fishlegs stepped forward. "Oh-I'm Fishlegs by the way. But that's besides the point," He laughed lightly in embarrassment, stumbling over his words. "Would you mind if I stayed in here with your Night Fury friend for a little while he's asleep? I'd love to get a few sketches and recordings done of him-if you're okay with that, I mean. It's just that, well, you know, he's a _Night Fury_. It's so rare to actually see them these days" Another short, hopeful laugh.

"I can stay, too." Astrid added, "I think it'd be best to put some ointments on Toothless' injuries while he's asleep. They should help the scarring go away at least."

While Hiccup was unsure of the _deeper_ scarring on his dragon ever being healed, he thought it best to give the benefit of the doubt and put a bit of trust into Fishlegs, and replenish his trust a little in Astrid.

He smiled at the two and thanked them before turning back to Gobber. "Well, I guess I am a bit hungry."

"That's the spirit, Lad," Gobber laughed. Patting Hiccup on the shoulder, Gobber lead him out of the dome. Hiccup hesitated for a moment as he stepped from the enclosure, glancing back to the boulders his best friend was resting behind. He and Toothless had been through quite a lot, some of which Hiccup didn't even know, but now just knowing that Toothless was alive felt more than enough. With a smile, knowing that he'd at last found his best friend, Hiccup followed Gobber. However, following _himself_ was a trio of Dumb, Dumber and Dumber, the Dream Team Extraordinaire.

They watched the redhead closely, at times whispering to one another when he'd point and question Gobber about some of the dragons they'd passed. Hiccup raised an eyebrow at the three behind him, which in response, the three paused and mirrored his look of confusion. Out of the corner of his eye, a certain dragon caught Hiccup's attention. It was a Monstrous Nightmare with piercing red scales and what seemed a temper to match it's fiery complexion.

"How'd he get here?" The young man asked Gobber.

"Ah, that one's-"

"My dragon," Snotlout interrupted proudly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Really?" Hiccup asked, surprise evident on his face.

"Really." Snotlout crossed his arms and smirked, somehow managing to look up his nose at the newcomer.

"No it's not," Tuffnut rolled his eyes. "Everybody knows you're justing _saying_ that." The dreadlocked blonde leaned his head towards Hiccup. "In case you can't tell, the Snotman is lying."

"The _Snotman_ is- _snot_ lying!" He growled. Lifting his chin to the sky, he continued. "Hookfang and I have a very deep relationship. See?" He turned and unhinged the door, but the loud and high pitched creaking spooked the Nightmare, making its pupils quickly narrow and the NIghtmare to rumble angrily.

"Snotlout…" Gobber warned the young man with a glare. Hiccup got the overall feeling that this wouldn't end well, and his intuition proved correct.

Into Hookfangs station Snotlout had waltzed; however, based upon Ruff, Tuff, and Gobber's reactions, Hiccup came to the conclusion that Snotlout getting his butt singed was probably a regular occurrence around this place. It still looked painful though.

Hiccup quietly entered the stall, ignoring Gobber and the Twins' well-intentioned warnings not to do so. He wasn't too worried though, seeing as Snotlout was the only one who had gotten on the dragons nerves. Nevertheless, his plan was to be in and out. Swiftly, he stretched out an arm to help Snotlout out of the water trough.

"Bad dragon! Bad!"

Hookfang snorted and rolled his eyes, landing them upon the stranger. Again the pupils squinted as the Nightmare stepped almost threateningly towards the young man, his nostrils sniffing loudly. The beast focused his vision on Hiccup, coming closer.

The young man returned the dragon's gaze, impressed by the Nightmare's size. Slowly, and nearly without realizing it, Hiccup extended a relaxed hand, bringing it to the point of the dragon's muzzle. Snotlout watched, offended at his dragons betrayal (though this wasn't the case, obviously,) and just outside the stall, Gobber and the Twins stared on, impressed; after all, it wasn't every day a stranger came in and Hookfang didn't burn his bum as hot as could be. Then again, they remembered, it wasn't everyday someone could train a _Night Fury._

Hiccup scratched the scales on the dragon's forehead with a smile, earning a huff from the beast when he and Snotlout left the stall and continued on through the reserve.

"Well done," Gobber said, already beginning to take a liking to the young lad. He glanced behind him. "You could probably even teach these ones a thing or too," Hiccup laughed nervously and looked at the others, a dreading but polite smile on his face when he met the sight of Snotlout's glare.

"Wow," Tuffnut put a hand on the red heads shoulder, "Who knew the scruffy stranger was capable of such a feat."

"Tisk tisk," Ruffnut shook her head at Snotlout who huffed in return, listing several things he could do " _way better_ " than "this suspicious stranger."

Through the dragon sanctuary towards a small building off to the side, hidden behind a small cluster of trees was an old, _old_ , white cottage.

"This here," Gobber swung his hand in a large circle, proudly presenting a run down Staff building to the young man. "Is the "Edge,"

"It's… uh… beautiful." Hiccup hesitated.

Truthfully, it was anything _but_ beautiful. The paint on the house had begun wearing off at least a decade ago, with dirt and dust running along the ridges and splinters poking out on every corner. It was more of a rotted looking _shack_ rather than a cottage. However, considering the state of the crew, Hiccup hadn't really been expecting much otherwise.

It did, certainly, look old and worn, but upon a minute or so of further inspection, it looked-so in a way that one knew it was serving its purpose as a shelter and place of work.

Around the building skirted wood piles and foliage in a hug, encroaching on it with long, ribbon-like vines. Rocks, lumber, and stacks of metal were cluttered all around the grounds.

"Finally," Gobber rubbed his chin with a smile, "Someone finally recognizes the beauty of this place!"

Hiccup chuckled at the older man's pride in such a poor appearing place. _To each his own, I guess._

"You mean the horror of it?" Tuffnut shook his head at the sight before him, mirroring the distaste his sister's expression gave.

"Seriously Gobber," Snotlout squeezed the bridge of his nose. "One of these days someone is going to trip over something and die, and the cops _will_ be coming for you!"

"Eh, I doubt it," The older man laughed, continuing on his way to the shack. "Everything has a place, and as long as no one messes with that system, eveythin' will be al-right."

Peering past its corner and following the treeline, Hiccup's eyes landed on an even more ransacked shack, though only in a slightly smaller size; as soon as he recognized the equipment inside of it, though, he instantly agreed that this place was magnificent.

"No way," He pointed to the second building. "Is that-" He looked to Gobber.

"Ah, you mean the Forge?"

Hiccup was so excited he almost jumped. "You have a forge?" He asked again. "I can't believe it! That's amazing!" He smiled widely, waving his hands in elation. If they had a forge, he could fix his riding prosthetic and rebuild Toothless' tail and saddle!

Needless to say, Hiccup and Gobber got on like two peas in a pod as soon as the Forge came into conversation. After only a few minutes of welding jargon, Snotlout and the Twins quickly lost interest on the conversation. Instead, they occupied themselves by whispering theories of the stranger and who he might be.

"He's _suspicious._ " Snotlout declared quietly, glaring daggers into Hiccup's back.

"Oh please, Snotlout," Tuffnut threw an arm around his friend's shoulder. "You're only thinking that because Hookfang was nicer to him than to you."

"That's not true!" Snotlout refused, his voice cracking. Quickly he cleared his throat and lowered his voice to sound more serious. "No I don't." He tried again. " _You especially_ , Tuffnut, saw how… _casual,_ he was when he was being interrogated. Everyone else always starts freaking out and holding a tantrum or something, but this guy sat there and tried to stare you down." Snotlout folded his arms across his barrel chest. "Well, for the most part anyways."

Ruff and Tuff were obviously rolling these thoughts around in there minds, weighing the odds and ends with their logic.

"He has a point, Brother Dearest." Ruffnut stroked her non-existent beard in contemplation.

"And when we were following Astrid and him to the Night Fury's cage, you told us he was asking _you_ questions, too."

Tuffnut closed his eyes and nodded in remembrance. "All true, all true." He dipped his chin. "I believe the Snotman is onto something, Sister Dearest."

"And we never really found out "what he does", either…" Snotlout trailed off, his mind wandering over possibilities.

The Twins locked eyes.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Tuff asked, mischief evident in his smile.

"Oh no," With a smack to his forehead, Snotlout sighed.

"Always am. I'll go get everything ready." And with a snicker, Ruffnut was off on her way to set a disastrous plan in motion. With a silent prayer for peace and a regretful roll of his eyes, Snotlout went to intrude upon Gobber and HIccups conversation.

"-Oh, don't worry about it, Lad. There are plenty of spare supplies, all of which you're more than welcome to use. I'm not able to get back here to the forge as often as I'd like, unfortunately-work has been awfully hectic lately, strangely enough-so it'd be great to get things burning back here again."

Gobber smiled, an excited gleam in his eye. He'd missed working in the Forge.

"Wow, thank you. So much." Hiccup was overrun with joy. As far as he could remember, he'd seemed to have been dealt badly in life, so he'd come to miss the simple sort of things in life. _Terribly._

"So is your work here usually calm?" Hiccup asked in slight disbelief. How could a _dragon reservoir_ of all places _not_ be a frenzy of a place? "I'd never imagined a Dragon Sanctuary could be handled so… smoothly."

Snotlout snorted. "I _wish._ Everything's been ridiculously crazy lately. All 'cause those stupid smugglers keep using Berk as part of their trading grounds." A chilled breeze blew past the three of them. Hiccup swallowed.

"Wait, they're here? Is this town their actual base?" Hiccup'd had to put off locating the smugglers main station while he'd been searching for Toothless, but never did he even dream that he'd be so close to it the entire time. _Guess that's what I get for sleeping under someone's porch…_

"Well, it's not their _main_ base, I'd say." Gobber scratched his chin.

"It's been getting more active though," Snotlout crossed his arms, frowning. This wasn't a topic that any of them seemed to enjoy. Snotlout's suspicion flared up that moment, and he gave Hiccup an intimidating look. "And why are _you_ so interested in them?" He leaned forward, doing his best to look down his nose at the taller figure.

"Well… uh," Hiccup contemplated for a moment. If he told them, would they still help him? They _were_ still caring for Toothless, for the time being at least, so he shouldn't risk them kicking him out in-case they thought what he was doing was too dangerous? But, on the other hand, they all seemed to have gall enough to help him… _if_ they even decided to, that is. It's not everyday you get kidnapped by a group of honest seeming people, you know. A bit of a refreshing change of events, if you were to ask Hiccup. Well… comparatively at least.

"What? You're not one of their lackeys or something, are you?" Snotlout stepped forward. "'Cause if you _are_ …!"

"I'm not, Snotlout. I wouldn't even joke about it. What they do is absolutely horrible." Hiccup furrowed his brow, his hands folded into fists. "What I do, what I've _been_ doing as far back as I can recall, is helping rescue the captured dragons and to take apart the smuggling and fighting system, piece by piece when it comes to it."

"Well isn't _that_ such a _long_ time," Snotlout said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He huffed at the other young man, Hiccup stayed silent for a moment. He sighed, looked to Gobber, then back to Snotlout.

"Is there something you need to say, Lad?" Gobber stepped forward, concerned at the young man's lengthening silence. Hiccup tapped his legs with his fingers, building up the grit to just go ahead and _say it._ Narrowing his eyes, Snotlout watched the redhead closely. He shifted uncomfortably as he seemed to come to a hard conclusion in his head.

Snotlout guessed he'd made it since Hiccup then opened his mouth.

"Nearly everything from before around a year ago…" Pausing, HIccup scratched the back of his head. "I remember none of it."

I need to start reading more to help improve my writing. Also, please leave a review of this chapter and tell me specifically the things in it you though were well-written/plotted or what could have been done differently!

Sorry for such a long wait, haha... oops... :D


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